NAIA Basketball History

National College Basketball Tournament was created in 1937

Name history

1937-1981: National College Basketball Tournament

1981 until now: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 2020-2021 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025

Logos

Until

Title holders

Championships by school

Titles	Club	Years
5	FHU	2022-23, 2023-24, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26
4	Grace	2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26
4	Idaho Coll.	2022-23, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2024-25
3	Langston	2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25
3	Montana Tech	2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25
2	Columbia, MO	2022-23, 2025-26
2	Cornerstone	2023-24, 2024-25
2	Madonna	2022-23, 2025-26
2	IU Southeast	2022-23, 2025-26
2	William Penn	2022-23, 2025-26
2	OKWU	2023-24, 2025-26
2	Loyola, LA	2022-23, 2023-24
2	St.Francis, IL	2024-25, 2025-26
2	ACU	2023-24, 2024-25
2	Ave Maria	2024-25, 2025-26
2	LSUA	2023-24, 2024-25
2	Westcliff	2022-23, 2024-25
1	Milligan	2024-25
1	Okla City	2025-26
1	Point Park	2023-24
1	Master's	2025-26
1	LSUS	2025-26
1	Life	2024-25
1	Oregon Tech	2023-24
1	Tougaloo	2022-23
1	Morningside	2024-25
1	Dickinson St.	2024-25
1	Southwestern, KS	2022-23
1	Northwestern, IA	2025-26
1	Dillard	2024-25
1	Rocky Mountain	2025-26
1	IU S.Bend	2022-23
1	Union Comm.	2023-24
1	Xavier, LA	2022-23
1	FMU	2023-24
1	Iowa Wesleyan	2022-23
1	Shawnee St.	2024-25
1	MNU	2023-24
1	Bellevue	2023-24
1	SUNO	2025-26
1	Baker	2024-25
1	Dordt	2022-23
1	Hastings	2023-24
1	IU Northwest	2023-24
1	CBC	2023-24
1	Simpson, CA	2025-26
1	Corban	2025-26
1	Mayville St.	2022-23
1	Philander Smith	2023-24
1	Arkansas Bapt.	2025-26
1	Johnson, TN	2025-26
1	Southeastern	2022-23
1	Florida Coll.	2023-24
1	St.Mary's, KS	2024-25
1	WWU	2024-25
1	CIU	2022-23
1	Dalton St.	2025-26
1	Carolina	2024-25
1	Antelope Valley	2023-24
1	OUAZ	2022-23

Finals year-by-year

Season	Winner	Result	Finalist	Regular Season Champ
2022-23	Southeastern University	73-71	Saint Thomas University	Southeastern University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Iowa Wesleyan University	70-66	Florida College	Washington Adventist University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Ottawa University, AZ	71-69	Hope International University	Arizona Christian University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Columbia International University	63-58	Bryan College	Union College
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Xavier University of Louisiana	79-63	Louisiana State University at Shreveport	Louisiana State University at Shreveport
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Loyola University New Orleans	82-73	Faulkner University	Loyola University New Orleans
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Indiana University - South Bend	67-65	St. Xavier University	Olivet Nazarene University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Tougaloo College	62-61	Philander Smith College	Tougaloo College
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Mayville State University	80-63	Dickinson State University	Mayville State University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Southwestern College, KS	83-74	Bethel College, Kansas	Oklahoma Wesleyan University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Freed-Hardeman University	69-68	Georgetown College	Georgetown College
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	College of Idaho	87-56	Eastern Oregon University	College of Idaho
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Langston University, OK	80-68	Wayland Baptist University	Langston University, OK
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Madonna University	96-83	Indiana Institute of Technology	Indiana Institute of Technology
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	William Penn University	95-82	Peru State College	William Penn University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Montana Technological University	103-95	University of Providence	Montana Technological University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Columbia College, MO	62-53	Central Baptist College	Columbia College, MO
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Dordt College	86-81	University of Jamestown	Morningside College
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Westcliff University	65-54	University of California, Merced	Antelope Valley University
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Grace College	80-74	Huntington University	Grace College
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	Indiana University Southeast	68-60	Indiana University Kokomo	University of Rio Grande
2021-22	Not held
2022-23	College of Idaho	71-73	Indiana Institute of Technology
2023-24	Florida Memorial University	65-61	Saint Thomas University	Florida Memorial University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Loyola University New Orleans	51-48	University of Tennessee Southern	University of Tennessee Southern
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Arizona Christian University	96-95	The Master's University	Arizona Christian University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Union College	77-75	Columbia International University	Union College
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Bellevue University	67-47	Dickinson State University	Bellevue University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Louisiana State University at Alexandria	90-72	University of Southwest	Louisiana State University at Alexandria
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Antelope Valley University	99-76	University of Saint Katherine	Antelope Valley University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Freed-Hardeman University	71-59	Georgetown College	Freed-Hardeman University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Cornerstone University	88-73	Madonna University	Madonna University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Central Baptist College	105-72	Missouri Baptist University	Central Baptist College
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	MidAmerica Nazarene University	63-59	Baker University	MidAmerica Nazarene University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Point Park University	76-75	Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College	Point Park University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Montana Technological University	93-77	Carroll College	Montana Technological University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Langston University, OK	55-44	Mid-America Christian University	Langston University, OK
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Grace College	101-80	Indiana Wesleyan University	Grace College
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Oregon Institute of Technology	79-76	College of Idaho	College of Idaho
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Indiana University Northwest	88-63	Indiana University - South Bend	Roosevelt University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Philander Smith College	85-67	Dillard University	Tougaloo College
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Hastings College	77-61	Morningside College	Hastings College
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Oklahoma Wesleyan University	81-65	Kansas Wesleyan University	Oklahoma Wesleyan University
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Florida College	74-60	Washington Adventist University	Florida College
2022-23	Not held
2023-24	Freed-Hardeman University	71-67	Langston University, OK
2024-25	Milligan College	67-64	Johnson University, TN	Georgetown College
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Ave Maria University	87-71	Southeastern University	Ave Maria University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Westcliff University	64-53	University of California, Merced	University of California, Merced
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	University of Saint Francis (IL)	73-63	Governors State University	University of Saint Francis (IL)
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Louisiana State University at Alexandria	88-79	University of Southwest	Louisiana State University at Alexandria
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Life University	85-78	Middle Georgia State University	Dalton State College
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Carolina University	64-62	Spartanburg Methodist College	Fisher College
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Arizona Christian University	77-75	The Master's University	The Master's University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Dickinson State University	67-62	University of Jamestown	Dickinson State University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Cornerstone University	79-71	Indiana Institute of Technology	Indiana Institute of Technology
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Freed-Hardeman University	86-79	University of the Cumberlands	University of the Cumberlands
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	William Woods University	85-52	Central Baptist College	William Woods University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	College of Idaho	86-69	Lewis-Clark State College	College of Idaho
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	University of Saint Mary	78-74	Bethel College, Kansas	Oklahoma Wesleyan University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Shawnee State University	76-61	Indiana University Southeast	Shawnee State University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Baker University	74-45	Graceland University	Baker University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Morningside College	87-77	Concordia University, Nebraska	Dordt College
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Montana Technological University	69-50	University of Providence	Montana Technological University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Grace College	80-72	Huntington University	Grace College
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Langston University, OK	65-62	Nelson University	Nelson University
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	Dillard University	74-72	Philander Smith College	Stillman College
2023-24	Not held
2024-25	College of Idaho	93-65	Oklahoma Wesleyan University	College of Idaho
2025-26	Ave Maria University	83-78	Keiser University	Ave Maria University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Dalton State College	90-87	William Carey University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Johnson University, TN	76-75	University of Pikeville	University of Pikeville
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Southern University-New Orleans	84-81	Tougaloo College
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Not held
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Arkansas Baptist College	82-78	Georgia Gwinnett College	Georgia Gwinnett College
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Louisiana State University at Shreveport	87-70	Louisiana State University at Alexandria	Louisiana State University at Shreveport
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	William Penn University	95-90	Graceland University	Graceland University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Rocky Mountain College	79-77	Montana State University - Northern	Rocky Mountain College
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	University of Saint Francis (IL)	81-73	Governors State University	Governors State University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Freed-Hardeman University	72-64	Bethel University, Tennessee	Freed-Hardeman University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	The Master's University	77-74	Benedictine University at Mesa	Arizona Christian University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Columbia College, MO	83-71	Williams Baptist University	Columbia College, MO
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Grace College	84-82	Indiana Wesleyan University	Grace College
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Oklahoma City University	74-67	Langston University, OK	Nelson University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Simpson University	79-75	Northern New Mexico College	Simpson University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Indiana University Southeast	87-83	Indiana University Kokomo
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Madonna University	77-76	Rochester Christian University	Madonna University
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Corban College	54-53	Lewis-Clark State College	Lewis-Clark State College
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Northwestern College, IA	102-72	Concordia University, Nebraska	Morningside College
2024-25	Not held
2025-26	Oklahoma Wesleyan University	79-78	Friends University	Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Finals participants

Club	W	L	Total
FHU	5	0	5
Langston	3	2	5
Idaho Coll.	4	1	5
Grace	4	0	4
Master's	1	2	3
Madonna	2	1	3
Dickinson St.	1	2	3
Indiana Tech	0	3	3
Montana Tech	3	0	3
IU Southeast	2	1	3
OKWU	2	1	3
CBC	1	2	3
Philander Smith	1	2	3
LSUA	2	1	3
Jamestown	0	2	2
Georgetown, KY	0	2	2
LSUS	1	1	2
Columbia, MO	2	0	2
LC State	0	2	2
Cornerstone	2	0	2
Tougaloo	1	1	2
Morningside	1	1	2
CUNE	0	2	2
Dillard	1	1	2
IU S.Bend	1	1	2
IWU	0	2	2
William Penn	2	0	2
Graceland	0	2	2
Baker	1	1	2
Bethel, KS	0	2	2
Huntington	0	2	2
Providence, MT	0	2	2
Loyola, LA	2	0	2
St.Francis, IL	2	0	2
Johnson, TN	1	1	2
Southeastern	1	1	2
ACU	2	0	2
Florida Coll.	1	1	2
St.Thomas, FL	0	2	2
IU Kokomo	0	2	2
Ave Maria	2	0	2
UC Merced	0	2	2
Southwest	0	2	2
CIU	1	1	2
GSU	0	2	2
Westcliff	2	0	2
Milligan	1	0	1
Bryan	0	1	1
Okla City	1	0	1
Peru St.	0	1	1
Point Park	1	0	1
Life	1	0	1
Cumberlands	0	1	1
Carroll, MT	0	1	1
E.Oregon	0	1	1
Oregon Tech	1	0	1
William Carey	0	1	1
Southwestern, KS	1	0	1
Wayland Baptist	0	1	1
Ks Wesleyan	0	1	1
MBU	0	1	1
Northwestern, IA	1	0	1
Faulkner	0	1	1
Rocky Mountain	1	0	1
Pikeville	0	1	1
St.Xavier	0	1	1
Union Comm.	1	0	1
Xavier, LA	1	0	1
FMU	1	0	1
MSU-Northern	0	1	1
Iowa Wesleyan	1	0	1
UT Southern	0	1	1
Shawnee St.	1	0	1
MNU	1	0	1
Bellevue	1	0	1
SUNO	1	0	1
Dordt	1	0	1
Hastings	1	0	1
IU Northwest	1	0	1
Simpson, CA	1	0	1
HIU	0	1	1
Corban	1	0	1
Williams Baptist	0	1	1
Mayville St.	1	0	1
Bethel, TN	0	1	1
SMC	0	1	1
Friends	0	1	1
Arkansas Bapt.	1	0	1
Nelson	0	1	1
Rochester, MI	0	1	1
St.Mary's, KS	1	0	1
Keiser	0	1	1
NNMC	0	1	1
MACU	0	1	1
WWU	1	0	1
WAU	0	1	1
Dalton St.	1	0	1
St.Katherine	0	1	1
SMWC	0	1	1
MGA	0	1	1
Carolina	1	0	1
BENUM	0	1	1
Antelope Valley	1	0	1
OUAZ	1	0	1
GGC	0	1	1

Final Four participants

Club	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
FHU	3	0	0	0
Grace	3	0	0	0
Idaho Coll.	2	1	1	0
OKWU	2	1	1	0
LSUA	2	1	0	0
Langston	2	1	0	0
ACU	2	0	1	1
Montana Tech	2	0	1	0
Ave Maria	2	0	0	1
Cornerstone	2	0	0	0
St.Francis, IL	2	0	0	0
Master's	1	2	0	0
Southeastern	1	1	1	0
Madonna	1	1	1	0
CBC	1	1	1	0
Johnson, TN	1	1	0	1
Philander Smith	1	1	0	1
Morningside	1	1	0	1
Dickinson St.	1	1	0	0
Baker	1	1	0	0
Dillard	1	1	0	0
IU Southeast	1	1	0	0
Columbia, MO	1	0	2	0
Life	1	0	1	1
MNU	1	0	1	1
Shawnee St.	1	0	1	1
Union Comm.	1	0	1	0
Dalton St.	1	0	1	0
Arkansas Bapt.	1	0	1	0
Northwestern, IA	1	0	0	2
IU Northwest	1	0	0	1
FMU	1	0	0	1
LSUS	1	0	0	1
Westcliff	1	0	0	1
WWU	1	0	0	1
St.Mary's, KS	1	0	0	1
Florida Coll.	1	0	0	1
Rocky Mountain	1	0	0	1
Loyola, LA	1	0	0	0
Bellevue	1	0	0	0
Antelope Valley	1	0	0	0
Point Park	1	0	0	0
Oregon Tech	1	0	0	0
Hastings	1	0	0	0
Carolina	1	0	0	0
SUNO	1	0	0	0
William Penn	1	0	0	0
Okla City	1	0	0	0
Simpson, CA	1	0	0	0
Corban	1	0	0	0
LC State	0	2	1	0
CUNE	0	2	1	0
St.Thomas, FL	0	2	0	1
Graceland	0	2	0	1
IWU	0	2	0	1
Southwest	0	2	0	0
GSU	0	2	0	0
Pikeville	0	1	2	0
Georgetown, KY	0	1	1	1
Cumberlands	0	1	1	1
Carroll, MT	0	1	1	1
Huntington	0	1	1	1
WAU	0	1	1	0
UC Merced	0	1	1	0
Providence, MT	0	1	1	0
MACU	0	1	1	0
Keiser	0	1	1	0
IU Kokomo	0	1	1	0
NNMC	0	1	0	2
MBU	0	1	0	1
Indiana Tech	0	1	0	1
Friends	0	1	0	1
Nelson	0	1	0	1
UT Southern	0	1	0	0
CIU	0	1	0	0
St.Katherine	0	1	0	0
SMWC	0	1	0	0
IU S.Bend	0	1	0	0
Ks Wesleyan	0	1	0	0
MGA	0	1	0	0
SMC	0	1	0	0
Jamestown	0	1	0	0
Bethel, KS	0	1	0	0
William Carey	0	1	0	0
Tougaloo	0	1	0	0
GGC	0	1	0	0
MSU-Northern	0	1	0	0
Bethel, TN	0	1	0	0
BENUM	0	1	0	0
Williams Baptist	0	1	0	0
Rochester, MI	0	1	0	0
HIU	0	0	2	1
Wayland Baptist	0	0	2	1
Lourdes	0	0	2	0
Southwestern, KS	0	0	2	0
A&M Texarkana	0	0	2	0
Bethel, IN	0	0	2	0
Campbellsville	0	0	1	1
S.Oregon	0	0	1	1
ONU	0	0	1	1
Fisk	0	0	1	1
Webber	0	0	1	0
Jessup	0	0	1	0
Mayville St.	0	0	1	0
Texas Coll.	0	0	1	0
Roosevelt	0	0	1	0
FNU	0	0	1	0
La Sierra	0	0	1	0
VCSU	0	0	1	0
Peru St.	0	0	1	0
Dordt	0	0	1	0
Stillman	0	0	1	0
Brewton Parker	0	0	1	0
Oakwood	0	0	1	0
Fisher	0	0	1	0
CMU	0	0	1	0
Trinity Christian	0	0	1	0
Stanton	0	0	1	0
Rio Grande	0	0	1	0
MMU	0	0	1	0
Mobile, AL	0	0	0	2
Dakota St.	0	0	0	2
Cal Maritime	0	0	0	2
Lawrence Tech	0	0	0	1
WVU Tech	0	0	0	1
UMW	0	0	0	1
John Brown	0	0	0	1
Marian, IN	0	0	0	1
Montreat	0	0	0	1
Calumet	0	0	0	1
LCU	0	0	0	1
ERAU	0	0	0	1
UNOH	0	0	0	1
Cumberland	0	0	0	1
Multnomah	0	0	0	1
Brescia, KY	0	0	0	1
Wilberforce	0	0	0	1
TWU	0	0	0	1
Xavier, LA	0	0	0	1
Grand View	0	0	0	1
St.Ambrose	0	0	0	1
HLGU	0	0	0	1
Bushnell	0	0	0	1
Evangel	0	0	0	1

Players with the most appearances in the NAIA Finals

Player	Finals Appearances	Years
Sam Powell	4	2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Dalton Colbert	4	2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Phil Horton	4	2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Hykeem Hancock	4	2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
James Evans	3	2023, 2024, 2025
Drew Kramer	3	2023, 2024, 2026
Stephon Martin	3	2023, 2024, 2026
Jordan DeCuir	3	2023, 2025, 2026
Bradley Alcime	3	2023, 2024, 2026
Ja'Lon Hunter	3	2023, 2024, 2025

Players with the most NAIA titles

Player	Count	Years Won
Sam Powell	5	2023, 2024, 2024, 2025, 2026
Dalton Colbert	5	2023, 2024, 2024, 2025, 2026
Phil Horton	5	2023, 2024, 2024, 2025, 2026
Peyton Law	4	2023, 2024, 2024, 2025
Geraldo Lane	4	2023, 2024, 2024, 2025
Ryley McClaran	4	2023, 2024, 2024, 2025
Christian Stackpole	4	2023, 2024, 2024, 2025
Straton Rogers	4	2023, 2023, 2025, 2025
Johnny Radford	4	2023, 2023, 2025, 2025
Tyler Robinett	4	2023, 2023, 2025, 2025